ECLAC’s new Disaster Unit to provide assistance to entire Latin America and Caribbean region

The newly configured Sustainable Development and Disaster Unit at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) subregional headquarters for the Caribbean is gearing-up to provide unprecedented assistance in disaster assessment to Caribbean states and to all countries across Latin America.

Through this Unit, ECLAC will give significantly strengthened leadership to the entire region in the area of disaster assessment and post disaster needs analysis, by providing technical expertise to disaster-affected and disaster-prone countries.

Specific initiatives will include the deployment of targeted capacity development sessions, to be held in both Latin America and the Caribbean prior to this year’s hurricane season. It is anticipated that, in addition to enhancing the skills sets of local experts, these workshops will help cement a network of regional focal points.

To maximise access to these services, ECLAC will utilize the latest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools, developing an interactive on-line platform, which will include dynamic training courses, interactive resources and a repository of multimedia tools.

ECLAC has been a pioneer in the field of disaster assessment and in the development and dissemination of the Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) methodology. The organization’s history in assessing disasters started in 1972 with the earthquake that struck Managua, Nicaragua. Since then, ECLAC has led more than 90 assessments of the social, environmental and economic effects and impacts of disasters in 28 countries in the region.

Through its DaLA assessments, ECLAC creates a point of departure for national dialogue around disaster risk reduction, vulnerability reduction, sustainable development and adaptation to climate change. The methodology also provides a basis for defining the post-disaster needs for recovery and reconstruction.